giving at my last need like Succour as I have sought all my Life Being in this extremity as void of help as thou hast been of hope Reason would that after so long waste I should not send thee a Child to bring the Charge but consider he is the fruit of thy Womb in whose Face regard not the Father 's so much as thy own Perfections He is yet Green and may grow strait if he be carefully tended otherwise apt enough I fear me to follow his Fathers Folly. That I have offended thee highly I know that thou canst forget my Injuries I hardly believe yet I perswade my self if thou sawest my wretched estate thou couldst not but lament it Nay certainly I know thou wouldst All my wrongs muster themselves about me and every Evil at once plagues me For my contempt of God I am Contemned of Men for my swearing and forswearing no man will believe me for my Gluttony I suffer Hunger for my Drunkenness Thirst for my Adultery ulcerous Sores Thus God hath cast me down that I might be humbled and punisht me for example of others and though he suffers me in this world to perish without succour yet trust I in the world to come to find Mercy by the Merits of my Saviour to whom I commend thee and commit my Soul. Thy Repentant Husband for his Disloyalty Robert Greene. In a Comedy called Green's Tu quoque written by John Cooke I find these Verses made upon his Death How fast bleak Autumn changeth Flora's Die What yesterday was Greene now 's sear and dry THOMAS NASH THomas Nash was also a Gentleman born and bred up in the University of Cambridge a man of a quick apprehension and Satyrick Pen One of his first Books he wrote was entituled Pierce Penniless his Supplication to the Devil wherein he had some Reflections upon the Parentage of Dr. Harvey his Father being a Rope-maker of Saffron-Walden This begot high Contests betwixt the Doctor and him so that it became to be a well known Pen-Combate Amongst other Books which Mr. Nash wrote against him one was entituled Have with ye to Saffron-Walden and another called Four Letters confuted in which last he concludes with this Sonnet Were there no Wars poor men should have no Peace Uncessant Wars with Wasps and Drones I cry He that begins oft knows not how to cease He hath begun I le follow till I die I le hear no Truce Wrong gets no Grave in me Abuse pell-mell encounter with abuse Write he again I le write eternally Who feeds Revenge hath found an endless Muse If Death ere made his black Dart of a Pen My Pen his special Bayly shall become Somewhat I le be reputed of ' mongst men By striking of this Dunce or dead or dumb Await the World the Tragedy of Wrath What next I paint shall tread no common Path. It seems he had a Poetical Purse as well as a Poetical Brain being much straghitned in the Gifts of Fortune as he exclaims in his Pierce Penniless Why is 't damnation to despair and die When Life is my true happiness disease My Soul my Soul thy Safety makes me fly The faulty Means that might my Pain appease Divines and dying men may talk of Hell But in my Heart her several Torments dwell Ah worthless Wit to train me to this Wo Deceitful Arts that nourish Discontent Ill thrive the Folly that bewitch'd me so Vain Thoughts adieu for now I will repent And yet my Wants persuade me to proceed Since none takes pity of a Scholar's need Forgive me God although I curse my Birth And ban the Ayr wherein I breath a wretch Since Misery hath daunted all my Mirth And I am quite undone through Promise breach Oh Friends no Friends that then ungently frown When changing Fortune casts us headlong down Without redress complains my careless Verse And Midas ears relent not at my mone In some far Land will I my griefs rehearse ' Mongst them that will be mov'd when I shall grone England adieu the Soil that brought me forth Adieu unkind where Skill is nothing worth He wrote moreover a witty Poem entituled The White Herring and the Red and two Comedies the one called Summer's last Will and Testament and See me and see me not Sir PHILIP SIDNEY SIr Philip Sidney the glory of the English Nation in his time and pattern of true Nobility in whom the Graces and Muses had their domestical habitations equally addicted both to Arts and Arms though more fortunate in the one than in the other Son to Sir Henry Sidney thrice Lord Deputy of Ireland and Sisters Son to Robert Earl of Leicester Bred in Christ's Church in Oxford Cambridge being nevertheless so happy to have a Colledge of his name where he so profited in the Arts and Liberal Sciences that after an incredible proficiency in all the Species of Learning he left the Academical Life for that of the Court invited thither by his Uncle the Earl of Leicester that great Favourite of Queen Elizabeth Here he so profited that he became the glorious Star of his Family a lively Pattern of Vertue and the lovely Joy of all the learned sort These his Parts so indeared him to Queen Elizabeth that she sent him upon an Embassy to the Emperor of Germany at Vienna which he discharged to his own Honour and her Approbation Yea his Fame was so renowned throughout all Christendom that as it is commonly reported he was in election for the Kingdom of Poland though the Author of his Life printed before his Arcadia doth doubt of the truth of it however it was not above his deserts During his abode at the Court at his spare hours he composed that incomparable Romance entituled The Arcadia which he dedicated to his Sister the Countess of Pembroke A Book saith Dr. Heylin which besides its excellent Language rare Contrivances and delectable Stories hath in it all the strains of Poesie comprehendeth the whole art of speaking and to them who can discern and will observe affordeth notable Rules of Demeanour both private and publick and though some men sharp-witted only in speaking evil have depraved the Book as the occasion that many precious hours are spent no better they consider not that the ready way to make the minds of Youth grow awry is to lace them too hard by denying them just and due liberty Surely saith one the Soul deprived of lawful delights will in way of revenge to enlarge its self out of prison invade and attempt unlawful pleasures Let such be condemned always to eat their meat with no other sawce but their own appetite who deprive themselves and others of those sallies into lawful Recreations whereof no less plenty than variety is afforded in this Arcadia One writes that Sir Philip Sidney in the extream agony of his wounds so terrible the sence of death is requested the dearest friend he had to burn his Arcadia what promise his friend returned herein is uncertain but if he
brake his word to be faithful to the publick good posterity herein hath less cause to censure him for being guilty of such a mâ—â—â—orious offence wherewith he hath obliged so many ages Hereupon thus writeth the British Epigramatist Ipse tuam morient sede conjuge teste jubebas Arcadium saevis ignibus esse cibum Si meruit mortem quia flammam accendit amoris Mergi non uri debuit iste liber In Librum quaecunque cadat sententia nulla Debuit ingenium morte perire tuum In serious thoughts of Death 't was thy desire This sportful Book should be condemn'd with Fire If so because it doth intend Love-matters It rather should be quench'd or drown'd i' th waters However doom'd the Book the memory Of thy immortal Wit will never die He wrote also besides his Arcadia several other Works namely A Defence of Poesie a Book entituled Astrophel and Stella with divers Songs and Sonnets in praise of his Lady whom he celebrated under that bright Name whom afterwards he married that Paragon of Nature Sir Francis Walsingham's Daughter who impoverished himself to enrich the State from whom he expected no more than what was above all Portions a beautiful Wife and a virtuous Daughter He also translated part of that excellent Treatise of Philip Morney du Plessis of the Truth of Religion and no doubt had written many other excellent Works had not the Lamp of his Life been extinguish'd too soon the manner whereof take as followeth His Unkle Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester a man almost as much hated as his Nephew was loved was sent over into the Low-Countries with a well appointed Army and large Commission to defend the United Provinces against the Spanish Cruelty Under him went Sir Philip Sidney who had the Command of the cautionary Town of Flushing and Castle of Ramekius a Trust which he so faithfully discharged that he turned the Envy of the Dutch Townsmen into Affection and Admiration Not long after some Service was to be performed nigh Zutphen in Guelderland where the English through false intelligence were mistaken in the strength of the Enemy Sir Philip is employed next to the Chief in that Expedition which he so discharged that it is questionable whether his Wisdom Industry or Valour may challenge to it self the greatest praise of the Action And now when the triumphant Lawrels were ready to Crown his Brows the English so near the Victory that they touched it ready to lay hold upon he was unfortunately shot in the Thigh which is the Rendezvouz of Nerves and Sinews which caused a Feaver that proved so mortal that five and twenty days after he died of the same the Night of whose Death was the Noon of his Age and the exceeding Loss of Christendom His Body was conveyed into England and most honourably interred in the Church of St. Paul in London over which was fixed this Epitaph England Netherland the Heavens and the Arts All Souldiers and the World have made six parts Of the Noble Sidney for none will suppose That a small heap of Stones can Sidney enclose England hath his Body for she it bred Netherland his Blood in her defence shed The Heavens his Soul the Arts his Fame All Soldiers the Grief the World his good Name To recite the Commendations given him by several Authors would of it self require a Volume to rehearse some few not unpleasing to the Reader The reverend Cambden writes thus This is that Sidney whom as God's will was he should be therefore born into the world even to shew unto our Age a Sample of ancient Virtues Doctor Heylin in his Cosmography calleth him That gallant Gentleman of whom he cannot but make honourable mention Mr. Fuller in his Worthies thus writes of him His homebred Abilities perfected by Travel with foreign accomplishments and a sweet Nature set a gloss upon both Stow in his Annals calleth him a most valiant and towardly Gentleman Speed in his Chronicle That worthy Gentleman in whom were compleat all Virtues and Valours that could be expected to reside in man And Sir Richard Baker gives him this Character A man of so many excellent parts of Art and Nature of Valour and Learning of Wit and Magnanimity that as he had equalled all those of former Ages so the future will hardly be able to equal him Nor was this Poet forgotten by the Poets who offered whole Hecatombs of Verses in his praise Hear first that Kingly Poet or Poetical King King James the first late Monarch of Great Britain who thus writes Armipotens cui jus in fortia pectora Mavors Tu Dea quae cerebrum perrumpere digna totantis Tuque adeo bijugae proles Latonia rupis Gloria deciduae cingunt quam collibus artes Duc tecum querela Sidnaei funera voce Plangite nam vester fuer at Sidnaeus alumnus Quid genus proavos spem floremque juventae Immaturo obitu raptum sine sine retexo Heu frustra queror heu rapuit Mors omnia secum Et nihil ex tanto nunc est Heroe superstes Praeterquam Decus Nomen virtute paratum Doctaque Sidneas testantia Carmina laudes Thus translated by the said king Thou mighty Mars the Lord of Soldiers brave And thou Minerve that dost in wit excel And thou Apollo who dost knowledge have Of every Art that from Parnassus fell With all your Sisters that thereon do dwell Lament for him who duly serv'd you all Whom in you wisely all your Arts did mell Bewail I say his unexpected fall I need not in remembrance for to call His Race his Youth the hope had of him ay Since that in him doth cruel Death appall Both Manhood Wit and Learning every way But yet he doth in bed of Honour rest And evermore of him shall live the best And in another place thus When Venus sad saw Philip Sidney slain She wept supposing Mars that he had been From Fingers Rings and from her Neck the Chain She pluckt away as if Mars ne'er again She meant to please in that form he was in Dead an yet could a Goddess thus beguile What had he done if he had liv'd this while These Commendations given him by so learned a Prince made Mr. Alexander Nevil thus to write Harps others Praise a Scepter his doth sing Of Crowned Poet and of Laureat King. Divine Du Bartus speaking of the most Learned of the English Nation reckoneth him as one of the chief in these words And world mourn'd Sidney warbling to the Thames His Swan-like Tunes so courts her coy proud Streams That all with child with Fame his Fame they bear To Thetis Lap and Thetis every where Sir John Harrington in his Epigrams thus If that be true the latter Proverb says Laudari a Laudatis is most Praise Sidney thy Works in Fames Books are enroll'd By Princes Pens which have thy Works extoll'd Whereby thy Name shall dure to endless days Mr. Owen the Brittsh Epigrammatist thus sets him forth Thou writ'st
to Land by Death doth lie A Vessel fitter for the Skie Than Jason's Argo though in Greece They say it brought the Golden Fleece The skilful Pilot steer'd it so Hither and thither too and fro Through all the Seas of Poverty Whether they far or near do lie And fraught it so with all the wealth Of wit and learning not by stealth Or privacy but perchance got That this whole lower World could not Richer Commodities or more Afford to add unto his store To Heaven then with an intent Of new Discoveries he went And left his Vessel here to rest Till his return shall make it blest The Bill of Lading he that looks To know may find it in his Books Mr. PHINEAS FLETCHER THis learned person Son and Brother to two ingenious Poets himself the third not second to either was son to Giles Fletcher Doctor in Law and Embassadour from Queen Elizabeth to Theodor Juanowick Duke of Muscovia who though a Tyranick Prince whose will was his Low yet setled with him very good Terms for our Merchants trading thither He was also brother to two worthy Poets viz. George Fletcher the Author of a Poem entituled Christs Victory and Triumph over and after Death and Giles Fletcher who wrote a worthy Poem entituled Christs Victory made by him being but Batchelor of Arts discovering the piety of a Saint and divinity of Doctor This our Phineas Fletcher was Fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge and in Poetick fame exceeded his two Brothers in that never enough to be celebrated Poem entituled The Purple Island of which to give my Reader a taste who perhaps hath never seen the Book I shall here add two Stanza's of it Thrice happy was the worlds first infancy Nor knowing yet not curious ill to know Joy without grief love without jealousie None felt hard labour or the sweating Plough The willing earth brought tribute to her King Bacchus unborn lay hidden in the cling Of big swollen Grapes their drink was every silver spring And in another place speaking of the vanity of ambitious Covetousness Vain men too fondly wise who plough the Seas With dangerous pains another earth to find Adding new Worlds to th' old and scorning ease The earths vast limits daily more unbind The aged World though now it falling shows And hasts to set yet still in dying grows Whole lives are spent to win what one Deaths hour must lose Besides this purple Island he wrote divers Piscatorie Eclogues and other Poetical Miscelanies also a Piscatory Comedy called Sicelides which was acted at Kings-Colledge in Cambridge Mr. GEORGE HERBERT THis divine Poet and person was a younger brother of the Noble Family of the Herberts of Montgomery whose florid wit obliging humour in conversation fluent Elocution and great proficiency in the Arts gained him that reputation at Oxford where he spent his more youthful Age that he was chosen University Orator a place which required one of able parts to Mannage it at last taking upon him Holy Orders not without special Encouragement from the King who took notice of his extraordinary Parts he was made Parson of Bemmerton near Salisbury where he led a Seraphick life converting his Studies altogether to serious and Divine Subjects which in time produced those his so generally known and approved Poems entituled The Temple Whose Vocal notes tun'd to a heavenly Lyre Both learned and unlearned all admire I shall only add out of his Book an Anagram which he made on the name of the Virgin Mary MARY ARMY And well her name an Army doth present In whom the Lord of Hosts did pitch his Tent. Mr. RICHARD CRASHAW THis devout Poet the Darling of the Muses whose delight was the fruitful Mount Sion more than the barren Mount Pernassus was Fellow first of Pembrook-Hall after of St. Peters-Colledge in Cambridge a religious pourer forth of his divine Raptures and Meditations in smooth and pathetick Verse His Poems consist of three parts the first entituled Steps to the Temple being for the most part Epigrams upon several passages of the New Testament charming the ear with a holy Rapture The Second part The delights of the Muses or Poems upon severral occasions both English and Latin such rich pregnant Fancies as shewed his Breast to be filled with Phoebean Fire The third and last part Carmen Deo nostro being Hymns and other sacred Poems dedicated to the Countess of Denbigh all which bespeak him The learned Author of Immortal Strains He was much given to a religious Solitude and love of a recluse Life which made him spend much of his time and even lodge many Nights under Tertullian's roof of Angels in St. Mary's Church in Cambridge But turning Roman Catholick he betook himself to 〈◊〉 so zealously frequented place Our Lady 's of Loâ—â—etto in Italy where for some years he spent his time in Divine Contemplations being a Canon of that Church where he dyed Mr. WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT MR. William Cartwright a Student of Christ Church in Oxford where he lived in Fame and Reputation for his singular Parts and Ingenuity being none of the least of Apollo's Sons for his excelling vein in Poetry which produc'd a Volume of Poems publisht not long after his Death and usher'd into the World by Commendatory Verses of the choicest Wits at that time enough to have made a Volume of it self So much was he reverenced by the Lovers of the Muses He wrote besides his Poems The Ordinary a Comedy the Royal Slave Lady Errant and The Seige Or Loves Convert Tragi-Comedies Sir ASTON COCKAIN SIr Aston Cockain laies Claim to a place in our Book being remembred to Posterity by four Plays which he wrote viz. The Obstinate Lady a Comedy Trapolin supposed a Prince Tyrannical Government Tragi-Comedies and Thersites an Interlude Sir JOHN DAVIS THis worthy Knight to whom Posterity is indebted for his learned Works was well beloved of Queen Elizabeth and in great Favour with King James His younger Years he addicted to the study of Poetry which produced two excellent Poems Nosce Teipsum and Ochestra Works which speak themselves their own Commendations He also wrote a judicious Metaphrase on several of David's Psalms which first made him known at Court afterwards addicting himself to the Study of the Common-Law of England he was first made the Kings Serjeant and after his Attorney-General in Ireland THOMAS MAY. THomas May was one in his time highly esteemed not only for his Translation of Virgils Georgicks and Lucans Pharfalia into English but what he hath written Propria Minerva as his Supplement to Lucan till the Death of Julius Caesar His History of Henry the Second in Verse besides what he wrote of Dramatick as his Tragedies of Antigone Agrippina and Cleopatra The Heir a Tragi-Comedy the Old Couple and The Old Wives Tale Comedies and the History of Orlando Furioso of these his Tragi-Comedy of The Heir is done to the life both for Plot and Language and good had it been for his Memory to Posterity if he
glorious Sparta lies upon the ground Lofty Mycenae hardly to be found Of Oedipus his Thebes what now remains Or of Pandion's Athens but their Names So also Sylvester in his Du Bartus Thebes Babel Rome those proud Heaven-daring Wonders Lo under ground in Dust and Ashes lie For earthly Kingdoms even as men do die By this you may see that frail Paper is more durable than Brass or Marble and the Works of the Brain more lasting than that of the Hand so true is that old Verse Marmora Maeonij vincunt Monumenta Libelli Vivitur ingenio caetera mortis erunt The Muses Works Stone-Monuments out-last 'T is Wit keeps Life all else Death will down cast Now though it is the desire of all Writers to purchase to themselves immortal Fame yet is their Fate far different some deserve Fame and have it others neither have it nor deserve it some have it not deserving and others though deserving yet totally miss it or have it not equall to their Deserts Thus have I known a well writ Poem after a double expence of Brain to bring it forth and of Purse to publish it to the World condemned to the Drudgery of the Chandler or Oyl-man or which is worse to light Tobacco I have read in Dr. Fuller's Englands Worthies that Mr. Nathanael Carpenter that great Scholar for Logick the Mathematicks Geography and Divinity setting forth a Book of Opticks he found to his great grief the Preface thereof in his Printers House Casing Christmas-Pies and could never after from his scattered Notes recover an Original thereof thus saith he Pearls are no Pearls when Cocks or Coxcombs find them There are two things which very much discourage Wit ignorant Readers and want of Mecaenasses to encourage their Endeavours For the first I have read of an eminent Poet who pass by a company of Bricklayers at work who were repeating some of his Verses but in such a manner as quite marred the Sence and Meaning of them he snatching up a Hammer fell to breaking their Bricks and being demanded the reason thereof he told them that they spoiled his Work and he spoiled theirs And for the second what greater encouragement to Ingenuity than Liberality Hear what the Poet Martial saith Lib. 10. Epig. 11. What deathless numbers from my Pen would flow What Wars would my Pierian Trumpet blow If as Augustus now again did live So Rome to me would a Mecaenas give The ingenious Mr. Oldham the glory of our late Age in one of his Satyrs makes the renowned Spenser's Ghost thus speak to him disswading him from the Study of Poetry Chuse some old English Hero for thy Theme Bold Arthur or great Edward's greater Son Or our fifth Henry matchless to renown Make Agin-Court and Crescy-fields out-vie The fam'd Laucinan-shores and walls of Troy What Scipio what Maecenas wouldst thou find What Sidney now to thy great project kind Bless me how great a Genius how each Line Is big with Sense how glorious a design Does through the whole and each proportion shine How lofty all his Thoughts and how inspir'd Pity such wondrous Parts are not preferr'd Cry a gay wealthy Sot who would not bail For bare Five Pounds the Author out of Jail Should he starve there and rot who if a Brief Came out the needy Poets to relieve To the whole Tribe would scarce a Tester give But some will say it is not so much the Patrons as the Poets fault whose wide Mouths speak nothing but Bladders and Bumbast treating only of trifles the Muses Haberdashers of small wares Whose Wit is but a Tavern-Tympany The Shavings and the Chips of Poetry Indeed such Pedlars to the Muses whose Verse runs like the Tap and whose invention ebbs and flows as the Barrel deserve not the name of Poets and are justly rejected as the common Scriblers of the times but for such who fill'd with Phebean-fire deserve to be crowned with a wreath of Stars for such brave Souls the darlings of the Delian Deity for these to be scorn'd contemn'd and disregarded must needs be the fault of the times I shall only give you one instance of a renowned Poet out of the same Author On Butler who can think without just rage The glory and the scandal of the age Fair stood his hopes when first he came to Town Met every where with welcoms of renown Courted and lov'd by all with wonder read And promises of Princely favour fed But what reward for all had he at last After a life in dull expectance pass'd The wretch at summing up his mispent days Found nothing left but poverty and praise Of all his gains by Verse he could not save Enough to purchase Flannel and a grave Reduc'd to want he in due time fell sick Was fain to die and be interr'd on Tick And well might bless the Feaver that was sent To rid him hence and his worse fate prevent Thus you see though we have had some comparable to Homer for Heroick Poesie and to Euripides for Tragedy yet have they died disregarded and nothing left of them but that only once there were such Men and Writings in being I shall in the next place speak something of my Undertakings in writing the Lives of these Renowned Poets Two things I suppose may be laid to my charge the one is the omission of some that ought with good reason to have been mentioned and the other the mentioning of those which without any injury might have been omitted For the first as I have begg'd pardon at the latter end of my Book for their omission so have I promised if God spare me life so long upon the first opportunity or second Edition of this Book to do them right In the mean time I should think my self much beholding to those persons who would give me any intelligence herein it being beyond the reading and acquaintance of any one single person to do it of himself And yet let me tell ye that by the Name of Poet many more of former times might have been brought in than what I have named as well as those which I have omitted that are now living namely Sir Walter Rawleigh Mr. John Weever Dr. Heylin Dr. Fuller c. but the Volume growing as big as the Bookseller at present was willing to have it we shall reserve them to another time they having already eternized their Names by the never dying Histories which they have wrote Then for the second thing which may be objected against me That I have incerted some of the meanest rank I answer That comparatively it is a less fault to incert two than to omit one most of which in their times were of good esteem though now grown out of date even as some learned Works have been at first not at all respected which afterwards have been had in high estimation as it is reported of Sir Walter Rawleigh who being Prisoner in the Tower expecting every hour to be sacrificed to the Spanish cruelty some few days before
Tale of the Squire but only himself which he had not done had he not felt as he saith the infusion of Chaucer's own sweet Spirit surviving within him And a little before he calls him the most Renowned and Heroical Poet and his Writings the Works of Heavenly Wit concluding his commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer well of English undefiled On Fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed I follow here the footing of thy feet That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet Mr. Cambden reaching one hand to Mr. Ascham and the other to Mr. Spenser and so drawing them together uttereth of him these words De Homero nostro Anglico illud vere asseram quod de Homero eruditus ille Italus dixit Hic ille est cujus de gurgite sacro Combibit arcanos vatum omnis turba furores The deservingly honoured Sir Philip Sidney in his Defence Poesie thus writeth of him Chaucer undoubtedly did excellently in his Troylus and Crescid of whom truly I know not whether to marvel more either that he in that misty time could see so clearly or we in this clear age walk so stumblingly after him And Doctor Heylin in his elaborate Description of the World ranketh him in the first place of our chiefest Poets Seeing therefore that both old and new Writers have carried this reverend conceit of him and openly declared the same by writing let us conclude with Horace in the eighth Ode of his fourth Book Dignum Laudi causa vetat mori The Works of this famous Poet were partly published in Print by William Caxton Mercer that first brought the incomparable Art of Printing into England which was in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth Afterward encreased by William Thinne Esq in the time of King Henry the Eighth Afterwards in the year 1561. in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth Corrected and Encreased by John Stow And a fourth time with many Amendments and an Explanation of the old and obscure Words by Mr. Thomas Speight in Anno 1597. Yet is he said to have written many considerable Poems which are not in his publish'd Works besides the Squires Tale which is said to be compleat in Arundel-house Library JOHN LYDGATE JOhn Lydgate was born in a Village of the same name not far off St. Edmondsbury a Village saith Cambden though small yet in this respect not to be passed over in silence because it brought into the World John Lydgate the Monk whose Wit may seem to have been framed and fashioned by the very Muses themselves so brightly reshine in his English Verses all the pleasant graces and elegancy of Speech according to that Age. After some time spent in our English Universities he travelled through France and Italy improving his time to his great accomplishment in learning the Languages and Arts Erat autem non solum elegans Poeta Rhetor disertus verum etiam Mathematicus expertus Philosophus acutus Theologus non contemnendus he was not only an elegant Poet and an eloquent Rhetorician but also an expert Mathematician an acute Philosopher and no mean Divine saith Pitseus After his return he became Tutor to many Noblemens Sons and both in Prose and Poetry was the best Author of his Age for if Chaucer's Coin were of greater Weight for deeper Learning Lydgate's was of a more refined Stantard for purer Language so that one might mistake him for a modern Writer But because none can so well describe him as himself take an Essay of his Verses out of his Life and Death of Hector pag. 316 and 317. I am a Monk by my profession In Berry call'd John Lydgate by my name And wear a habit of perfection Although my life agree not with the same That meddle should with things spiritual As I must needs confess unto you all But seeing that I did herein proceed At his command whom I could not refuse I humbly do beseech all those that read Or leisure have this story to peruse If any fault therein they find to be Or error that committed is by me That they will of their gentleness take pain The rather to correct and mend the same Than rashly to condemn it with disdain For well I wot it is not without blame Because I know the Verse therein is wrong As being some too short and some too long For Chaucer that my Master was and knew What did belong to writing Verse and Prose Ne're stumbled at small faults nor yet did view With scornful eye the Works and Books of those That in his time did write nor yet would taunt At any man to fear him or to daunt Now if you would know further of him hear him in his Prologue to the Story of Thebes a Tale as his Fiction is which or some other he was constrained to tell at the command of mine Host of the Tabard in Southwark whom he found in Canterbury with the rest of the Pilgrims which went to visit Saint Thomas shrine This Story was first written in Latine by Geoffry Chaucer and translated by Lydgate into English Verse but of the Prologue of his own making so much as concerns himmself thus While that the Pilgrims lay At Canterbury well lodged one and all I not in sooth what I may it call Hap or fortune in conclusioun That me befell to enter into the Toun The holy Sainte plainly to visite After my sicknesse vows to acquite In a Cope of blacke and not of greene On a Palfrey slender long and lene With rusty Bridle made not for the sale My man to forne with a voyd Male That by Fortune tooke my Inne anone Where the Pilgrimes were lodged everichone The same time her governour the host Stonding in Hall full of wind and bost Liche to a man wonder sterne and fers Which spake to me and said anon Dan Pers Dan Dominick Dan Godfray or Clement Ye be welcome newly into Kent Thogh your bridle have nother boos ne bell Beseeching you that ye will tell First of your name and what cuntre Without more shortly that ye be That looke so pale all devoid of bloud Upon your head a wonder thred-bare Hood Well arrayed for to ride late I answered my Name was Lydgate Monke of Bury me fifty yeare of age Come to this Town to do my Pilgrimage As I have hight I have thereof no shame Dan John quoth he well brouke ye your name Thogh ye be sole beeth right glad and light Praying you to soupe with us this night And ye shall have made at your devis A great Puddding or a round hagis A Franche Moile a Tanse or a Froise To been a Monk slender is your coise Ye have been sick I dare mine head assure Or let feed in a faint pasture Lift up your head be glad take no sorrow And ye should ride home with us to morrow I say when ye rested have your fill After supper sleep will doen none ill Wrap well your head clothes round about Strong nottie Ale will
hue Which well and fine me thought did shine And never change a thing most strange Yet keep in sight her course aright And compass true Being thus married he betook himself again to Husbandry and hired a Farm called Diram Cell and there he had not lived long but his Landlord died and his Executors falling at variance and now one troubled him and then another whereupon he left Diram and went to Norwâ—ch turning a Singing-man under Mr. Salisbury the Dean thereof There he was troubled with a Dissury so that in a 138 Hours he never made a drop of Water Next he hired a Parsonage at Fairstead in Essex but growing weary of that he returned again to London where he had not lived long but the Pestilence raging there he retired to Cambridge Thus did he roul about from place to place but like Sisiphus stone could gather no Moss whithersoever he went He was successive a Musician Schoolmaster Servingman Husbandman Grasier Poet more skilful in all than thriving in any Vocation He traded at large in Oxen Sheep Dairies Grain of all kinds to no profit He spread his Bread with all sorts of Butter yet none would stick thereon So that he might say with the Poet Monitis sum minor ipse meis None being better at the Theory or worse at the Practice of Husbandry and may be fitly match'd with Thomas Churchyard they being mark'd alike in their Poetical parts living in the same time and statur'd both alike in their Estates and that low enough in all reason He died in London Anno Dom. 1580. and was buried at St. Mildred's-Church in the Poultrey with this Epitaph Here THOMAS TVSSER clad in earth doth lie That sometime made the Points of Husbandry By him then learn thou may'st here learn we must When all is done we sleep and turn to dust And yet through Christ to Heaven we hope to go Who reads his Books shall find his Faith was so THOMAS STORER THomas Storer was a great writer of Sonnets Madrigals and Pastoral Airs in the beginning of Q. Elizabeth's Reign and no doubt was highly esteemed in those days of which we have an account of some of them in an old Book called England's Hellicon This kind of writing was of great esteem in those days and much imitated by Thomas Watson Bartholomew Yong Dr. Lodge and several others What time he died is to me unknown THOMAS LODGE THomas Lodge a Doctor of Physick flourish'd also about the beginning of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth He was also an eminent Writer of Pastoral Songs Odes and Madrigals This following Sonnet is said to be of his composing If I must die O let me chuse my Death Suck out my Soul with Kisses cruel Maid In thy Breasts Crystal Balls embalm my Breath Dole it all out in sighs when I am laid Thy Lips on mine like Cupping-glasses clasp Let our Tongues meet and strive as they would sting Crush out my Wind with one straight girting Grasp Stabs on my Heart keep time whilst thou dost sing Thy Eyes like searing-Irons burn out mine In thy fair Tresses stifle me outright Like Circes change me to a loathsom Swine So I may live for ever in thy sight Into Heavens Joys can none profoundly see Except that first they meditate on thee Contemporary with Dr. Lodge were several others who all of them wrote in the same strain as George Gascoigne Tho. Hudson John Markham Tho. Achely John Weever Chr. Midleton George Turbervile Henry Constable Sir Edward Dyer Charles Fitz Geoffry Of these George Gascoigne wrote not only Sonnets Odes and Madrigals but also something to the Stage as his Supposes a Comedy Glass of Government a Tragi-Comedy and Jocasta a Tragedy But to return to Dr. Lodge we shall only add one Sonnet more taken out of his Euphues Golden Legacy and so proceed to others Of all chaste Birds the Phoenix doth excel Of all strong Beasts the Lion bears the Bell Of all sweet Flowers the Rose doth sweetest smell Of all fair Maids my Rosalind is fairest Of all pure Metals Gold is only purest Of all high Trees the Pine hath highest Crest Of all soft Sweets I like my Mistress best Of all chaste Thoughts my Mistress Thoughts are rarest Of all proud Birds the Eagle pleaseth Jove Of pretty Fowls kind Venus likes the Dove Of Trees Minerva doth the Olive love Of all sweet Nymphs I honour Rosalinde Of all her Gifts her Wisdom pleaseth most Of all her Graces Virtue she doth boast For all the Gifts my Life and Joy is lost If Rosalinde prove cruel and unkind ROBERT GREENE RObert Greene that great Friend to the Printers by his many Impressions of numerous Books was by Birth a Gentleman and sent to study in the University of Cambridge where he proceeded Master of Art therein He had in his time sipped of the Fountain of Hellicon but drank deeper Draughts of Sack that Helliconian Liquor whereby he beggar'd his Purse to enrich his Fancy writing much against Viciousness but too too vicious in his Life He had to his Wife a Virtuous Gentlewoman whom yet he forsook and betook himself to a high course of Living to maintain which he made his Pen mercenary making his Name very famous for several Books which he wrote very much taking in his time and in indifferent repute amongst the vulgar at this present of which those that I have seen are as followeth Euphues his Censure to Philautus Tullies Love Philomela The Lady Fitz-waters Nightingale A Quip for an upstart Courtier the History of Dorastus and Fawnia Green's never too late first and second Part Green's Arcadia Green his Farewell to Folly Greene's Groats-worth of Wit c. He was also an Associate with Dr. Lodge in writing of several Comedies namely The Laws of Nature Lady Alimony Liberality and Prodigality and a Masque called Luminalia besides which he wrote alone the Comedies of Fryer Bacon and fair Emme But notwithstanding by these his Writings he got much Money yet was it not sufficient to maintain his Prodigality but that before his death he fell into extream Poverty when his Friends like Leaves to Trees in the Summer of Prosperity fell from him in his Winter of Adversity of which he was very sensible and heartily repented of his ill passed Life especially of the wrongs he had done to his Wife which he declared in a Letter written to her and found with his Book of A Groatsworth of Wit after his Death containing these Words THE Remembrance of many Wrongs offered Thee and thy unreproved Vertues add greater sorrow to my miserable State than I can utter or thou conceive neither is it lessened by consideration of thy Absence though Shame would let me hardly behold thy Face but exceedingly aggravated for that I cannot as I ought to thy own self reconcile my self that thou mightest witness my inward Wo at this instant that have made thee a woful Wife for so long a time But equal Heaven hath denied that comfort
The Breath of whose perfumed Locks Might choke the Devil with a Pox Whose dainty twinings did entice The whole monopoly of Lice Her Forehead next is to be found Resembling much the new-plough'd ground Furrow'd like stairs whose windings led Unto the chimney of her head The next thing that my Muse descries Is the two Mill-pits of her Eyes Mill-pits whose depth no plum can sound For there the God of Love was drown'd On either side there hangs a Souse And Ear I mean keeps open house An Ear which always there did dwell And so the Head kept sentinel Which there was placed to descry If any danger there was nigh But surely danger there was bred Which made them so keep off the head Something for certain caus'd their fears Which made them so to hang their ears But hang her ears Thalia seeks To suck the bottle of her cheeks c. THOMAS RANDOLPH THis Famous Poet was born at Houghton in Northampton-shire and was first bred in Westminster-School then Fellow in Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge He was one of such a pregnant Wit that the Muses may seem not only to have smiled but to have been tickled at his Nativity such the festivity of his Poems of all sorts Yet was he also sententiously grave as may appeâ—r by many of his Writings not only in his Necessary Precepts but also in several other of his Poems take one instance in the conclusion of his Commendatory Verses to Mr. Feltham on his excellent Book of Resolves ' Mongst thy Resolves put my Resolves in too Resolve who will this I resolve to do That should my Errors chuse anothers line Whereby to write I mean to live by thine His extraordinary indulgence to the too liberal converse with the multitude of his applauders drew him to such an immoderate way of living that he was seldom out of Gentlemens company and as it often happens that in drinking high quarrels arise so there chanced some words to pass betwixt Mr. Randolph and another Gentleman which grew to be so high that the Gentleman drawing his Sword and striking at Mr. Randolph cut off his little finger whereupon in an extemporary humour he instantly made these Verses Arithmetick nine digits and no more Admits of then I have all my store But what mischance hath tane from my Left-hand It seems did only for a cypher stand Hence when I scan my Verse if I do miss I will impute the fault only to this A fingers loss I speak it not in sport Will make a Verse a foot too short That he was of a free generous disposition not regarding at all the Riches of the World may be seen in the first Poem of his Book speaking of the inestimable content he enjoyed in the Muses to those of his friends which dehorted him from Poetry Go sordid earth and hope not to bewitch My high-born Soul which flies a nobler pitch Thou canst not tempt her with adulterate show She bears no appetite that flags so low c. His Poems publish'd after his death and usher'd into the World by the best Wits of those times passed the Test with general applause and have gone through several I lmpressions To praise one were in some sort to dispraise the other being indeed all praise-worthy His Cambridge Duns facetiously pleasing as also his Parley with his Empty Purse in their kind not out-done by any He was by Ben. Johnson adopted for his Son and that as is said upon this occasion Mr. Randolph having been at London so long as that he might truly have had a parley with his Empty Purse was resolved to go see Ben. Johnson with his associates which as he heard at a set-time kept a Club together at the Devil-Tavern near Temple-Bar accordingly at the time appointed he went thither but being unknown to them and wanting Money which to an ingenious spirit is the most daunting thing in the World he peep'd in the Room where they were which being espied by Ben. Jonhson and seeing him in a Scholars thred-bare habit John Bo-peep says he come in which accordingly he did when immediately they began to rime upon the meanness of his Clothes asking him If he could not make a Verse and withal to call for his Quart of Sack there being four of them he immediately thus replied I John Bo peep to you four sheep With each one his good fleece If that you are willing to give me five shilling 'T is fifteen pence a piece By Jesus quoth Ben. Johnson his usual Oath I believe this is my Son Randolph which being made known to them he was kindly entertained into their company and Ben. Johnson ever after called him Son. He wrote besides his Poems the Muses Looking-glass Jealous Lovers and Hey for Honesty down with Knavery Comedies Amintas Pastoral and Aristippus an Interlude Sir JOHN BEAVMONT Baronet SIr John Beaumont was one who Drank as deep Draughts of Helicon as any of that Age and though not many of his Works are Extant yet those we have be such as are displayed on the Flags of highest Invention and may justly Stile him to be one of the chief of those great Souls of Numbers He wrote besides several other things a Poem of Bosworth Field and that so Ingeniously as one thus writes of it Could divine Maro hear his Lofty Strain He would condemn his Works to fire again I shall only give you an Instance of some few lines of his out of the aforesaid Poem and so conclude Here Valiant Oxford and Fierce Norfolk meet And with their Spears each other rudely greet About the Air the shined Pieces play Then on their Swords their Noble Hand they lay And Norfolk first a Blow directly guides To Oxfords Head which from his Helmet slides Upon his Arm and biteing through the Steel Inflicts a Wound which Vere disdains to feel But lifts his Faulcheon with a threatning grace And hews the Beaver off from Howards Face This being done he with compassion charm'd Retires asham'd to strike a Man disarm'd But strait a deadly Shaft sent from a Bow Whose Master though far off the Duke could know Untimely brought his combat to an end And pierc'd the Brains of Richards constant Friend When Oxford saw him Sink his Noble Soul Was full of grief which made him thus condole Farewel true Knight to whom no costly Grave Can give due honour would my Tears might save Those streams of Blood deserving to be Spilt In better service had not Richard s guilt Such heavy weight upon his Fortune laid Thy Glorious vertues had his Sins outweigh'd Dr. PHILEMON HOLLAND THis worthy Doctor though we find not many Verses of his own Composing yet is deservedly placed amongst the Poets for his numerous Translations of so many Authors insomuch that he might be called the Translator General of his Age So that those Books alone of his turning into English are sufficient to make a Country Gentleman a Competent Library for Historians He is thought to have his Birth
things worthy reading and didst do Things worthy writing too Thy Arts thy Valour show And by thy Works we do thy Learning know I shall conclude all with these excellent Verses made by himself a little before his Death It is not I that die I do but leave an Inn Where harbour'd was with me all filthy Sin It is not I that die I do but now begin Into eternal Joy by Faith to enter in Why mourn you then my Parents Friends and Kin Lament you when I lose not when I win Sir FVLK GREVIL NExt to Sir Philip Sidney we shall add his great Friend and Associate Sir Fulk Grevil Lord Brook one very eminent both for Arts and Arms to which the genius of that time did mightily invite active Spirits This Noble Person for the great love he bore to Sir Philip sidney wrote his Life He wrote several other Works both in Prose and Verse some of which were Dramatick as his Tragedies of Alaham Mustapha and Marcus Tullius Cicero and others commonly of a Political Subject amongst which a Posthume Work not publish'd till within a few years being a two fold Treatise the first of Monarchy the second of Religion in all which is observable a close mysterious and sententious way of Writing without much regard to Elegancy of Stile or smoothness of Verse Another Posthume Book is also fathered upon him namely The Five Years of King James or the Condition of the State of England and the Relation it had to other Provinces Printed in the Year 1643. But of this last Work many people are doubtful Now for his Abilities in the Exercise of Arms take this instance At such time when the French Ambassadours came over into England to Negotiate a Marriage between the Duke of Anjou and Queen Elizabeth for their better entertainment Solemn Justs were proclaimed where the Earl of Arundel Frederick Lord Windsor Sir Philip Sidney and he were chief Challengers against all comers in which Challenge be behaved himself so gallantly that he won the reputation of a most valiant Knight Thus you see that though Ease be the Nurse of Poesie the Muses are also Companions to Mars as may be exemplified in the Lives of the Earl of Surrey Sir Philip Sidney and this Sir Fulk Grevil I shall only add a word or two of his death which was as sad as lamentable He kept a discontented servant who conceiving his deserts not soon or well enough rewarded wounded him mortally and then to save the Law a labour killed himself Verifying therein the observation That there is none who never so much despiseth his own life but yet is master of another mans This ingenious Gentleman in whose person shined all true Vertue and high Nobility as he was a great friend to learning himself so was he a great favourer of learning in others witness his liberality to Mr. Speed the Chronologer when finding his wide Soul was stuffed with too narrow an Occupation gave it enlargement as the said Author doth ingeniously consess in his description of Warwick shire Whose Merits saith he to me-ward I do acknowledge in setting his hand free from the daily employments of a Manual Trade and giving it full liberty thus to express the inclination of mind himself being the Procurer of my present Estate He lieth interred in Warwick-Church under a Monument of Black and White Marble wherein he is styled Servant to Queen Elizabeth Councellor to King James and Friend to Sir Philp Sidney He died Anno 16 without Issue save only those of his Brain which will make his Name to live when others Issue they may fail them Mr. EDMOND SPENSER THis our Famous Poet Mr. Edmond Spenser was born in the City of London and brought up in Pembroke-Hall in Cambridge where he became a most excellent Scholar but especially very happy in English Poetry as his learned elaborate Works do declare which whoso shall peruse with a judicious eye will find to have in them the very height of Poetick fancy and though some blame his Writings for the many Chaucerisms used by him yet to the Learned they are known not to be blemishes but rather beauties to his Book which notwithstanding saith a learned Writer had been more salable if more conformed to our modern language His first flight in Poetry as not thinking himself fully fledged was in that Book of his called The Shepherds Kalendar applying an old Name to a new Book It being of Eclogues fitted to each Month in the Year of which Work hear what that worthy Knight Sir Philip Sidney writes whose judgment in such cases is counted infallible The Shepherds Kalendar saith he hath much Poetry in his Eclogues indeed worthy the reading if I be not deceived That same framing his Stile to an old rustick Language I dare not allow since neither Theocritus in Greek Virgil in Latine nor Sanazara in Italian did effect it Afterwards he translated the Gnat a little fragment of Virgil's excellency Then he translated Bellay his Ruins of Rome His most unfortunate Work was that of Mother Hubbard's Tale giving therein offence to one in authority who after wards stuck on his skirts But his main Book and which indeed I think Envy its self cannot carp at was his Fairy Queen a Work of such an ingenious composure as will last as long as time endures Now as you have heard what esteem Sir Philip Sidney had of his Book so you shall hear what esteem Mr. Spenser had of Sir Philip Sidney writing thus in his Ruins of Time. Yet will I sing but who can better sing Than thou thy self thine own selfs valiance That while thou livedst thou madest the Forests ring And Fields resound and Flocks to leap and dance And Shepherds leave their Lambs unto mischance To run thy shrill Arcadian Pipe to hear O happy were those days thrice happy were In the same his Poem of the Rains of Time you may see what account he makes of the World and of the immortal Fame gotten by Poesie In vain do earthly Princes then in vain Seek with Pyramids to Heaven aspir'd Or huge Collosses built with costly pain Or brazen Pillars never to be fir'd Or Shrines made of the metal most desir'd To make their Memories for ever live For how can mortal immortality give For deeds do die however nobly done And thoughts of men do in themselves decay But wise words taught in numbers for to run Recorded by the Muses live for aye Ne may with storming showers be wash'd away Ne bitter breathing with harmful blast Nor age nor envy shall them ever wast There passeth a story commonly told and believed that Mr. Spenser presenting his Poems to Queen Elizabeth she highly affected therewith commanded the Lord Cecil her Treasurer to give him an Hundred Pound and when the Treasurer a good Steward of the Queen's Money alledged that Sum was too much for such a matter then give him quoth the Queen what is reason but was so busied or seemed to be